Mizzima News

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Burma's Prime Minister on Tuesday told visiting United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari that sanctions against his country should be lifted if the world community wants to see political stability in the Southeast Asian Nation.

Prime Minister Thein Sein, during his meeting with Gambari on Tuesday, told that economic sanctions has damaged human rights and caused unemployment, damaged the economy, social affairs, education, health and living standard of the people, reports the state-run newspaper, New Light of Myanmar, on Wednesday.

"The UN should make efforts to lift economic sanctions imposed on Myanmar [Burma] if the organization wants to see prosperous Myanmar with political stability," the paper quoted Thein Sein as saying.

During the talked, which is Gambari's last meeting with government officials while in the country for a four-day visit, Thein Sein also mentioned that Burma is doing its best it could in implementing political reforms but is greatly hindered by sanctions.

"[Sanctions] also has hindered the efforts for building a democratic nation as well as neglected the humanitarian concerns," Thein Sein said.

Currently, the United States and European Union has imposed economic and financial sanctions against members of the Burmese military Junta for its appalling human rights records.

Gambari, during the talked at Zeyathiri Beikman Government Guest House in Rangoon, call on Thein Sein to release more political prisoners, and to have a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and to expand humanitarian Programme.

While Thein Sein did not give concrete answers to his calls, the Burmese PM said it is "implementing the best way for the country according to the prevailing conditions," and that Gambari would see the government's efforts.

Instead, Thein Sein called on Gambari to urge ethnic groups to work together with the government and to participate the Junta's upcoming 2010 election.

Gambari, during his four-day visit, which ended on Tuesday, also met with several other junta ministers including Foreign Minister Nyan Win but failed to meet Junta head Snr. General Than Shwe and did not get invitation to Burma's new jungle capital Naypyitaw.

But Gambari was able to meet detained Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who had refused meeting him during his last visit, along with her party – National League for Democracy – leaders.

The NLD, however, said they received no answers from the visiting Nigerian diplomat and that it was difficult to assess the visit had any result at all.